Ministry of External Affairs has said that 320 Indian nationals remain uncontactable or are reportedly missing following the flash flood tragedy on Wednesday.
Addressing the media in New Delhi today, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that around 100 people of Indian origin, holding other nationalities also remain uncontactable. He said, 63 Indian nationals working at the Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project were rescued from the affected area. He said, another 96 Indian nationals who were stranded on the Chinese side have safely crossed into Nepal by land and efforts are underway to evacuate them.
Mr Jaiswal informed the media that twenty-one Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu, who had arrived in Kathmandu from the flood-affected area yesterday, have reached New Delhi this afternoon.
On the Chinese side, Mr Jaiswal said that around 400 Indian nationals are safe and in contact with their families. He said, the Indian Embassy in Beijing is coordinating with local authorities, team leaders and travel agents to facilitate their evacuation.
Mr Jaiswal also said that as requested by Nepal, India is preparing to send a Tunnel rescue team, for which a recce team is being flown in first to assess the equipment required there. He added that a medical team is also being sent and in addition to it , India has also offered Bailey bridges along with their associated technical teams so that connectivity can be restored quickly in the affected parts of Nepal. Mr Jaiswal said that India is ready to offer any other assistance that the Nepal authorities might require.
Mr Jaiswal said that the government has set up a control room in the Ministry of External Affairs, which is working round the clock. He said, Indian embassies, both in Kathmandu and Beijing, have also set up 24 X 7 helplines.
Meanwhle, the third flight carrying ten tonnes of humanitarian assistance has departed for Kathmandu. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar informed this in a social media post. The Minister said that the assistance includes portable generator sets, dignity kits, food packets and water purification tablets. Dr Jaishankar said that an 11-member team of doctors, paramedics and Recce team for Tunnel rescue operations is also on-board. He also reiterated India’s support to Nepal’s ongoing relief and rescue efforts. Earlier, India had sent more than 47 tonnes of emergency relief supplies in two flights.
